Monday, January 27, 2014

Throw me a Snowball Because I Am Melting!

I know I say every week is CRAZY but REALLY they are all crazy. I've never had so many crazy weeks in a row in my life. In Guatemala every day is an adventure!

This week was challenging. La feria decided to stay until Saturday instead of leaving on Wednesday.  I was not very happy about that.  We are almost out of our Palabra De Sabiduria folletos.  We are still experiencing the after shocks of the bolos. However, I am starting to think that it is always crazy here.

There is one street in my area -- I've nicknamed it the Las Vegas Strip "Guatemalan Style". We try to avoid it at all costs but we can't because one of our only progressing investigators lives there.  I'm getting really good at dodging the bolos. I know which ones are the angry ones and which ones will fall over if I blow air right in their face. All I can say is that I am VERY grateful for the commandments.

We also had interviews with President and a test on Preach My Gospel. I was a little nervous. But, my interview with President was literally 2 minutes and 13 seconds (my companion timed it). After, I was expecting a huge exam on Preach My Gospel. I had flashbacks of my Book of Mormon classes at BYU and how hard the tests were.  But, it was on Christlike attributes, and if you are a missionary and fail a test on Christlike attributes you should probably read Preach My Gospel and the Book of Mormon a lot of times.

What else? I thought I would talk a little bit about the teaching scene here:

1. Most of the people in my area don't know how to read. When I find someone who can read, I get all giddy and rip out a Book of Mormon on the spot.

2. I live by this quote, "It is true intelligence for a man to take a subject that is mysterious and great in itself, and to unfold and simplify it so that a child can understand it."   -President John Taylor 

In every lesson I try to pretend that I am teaching a primary class. Many people here have never gone top school, they can't retain or focus very well (I am speaking generally. There are also some insanely smart Guatemalans that are 2 blocks ahead of me smart wise).  It is harder than you think to teach simple and clear, but that is always my goal!

3. Distractions. I don't remember what quiet sounds like. Sometimes I think, "How in the world will the spirit be able to touch these people in this environment?!"  But, it always happens. It truly is a miracle!

4. You have to ask a lot of questions. When I was first learning to speak Spanish I would just talk at the people because I didn't know how to ask questions. Now, I am working really hard to let them do the talking. I love the way Elder Amado (Presidente de area Centro America) teaches. He literally only asks questions and I always learn so much! 

5. Teach with objects. These people are visual.

This tower helps explain how the Church of Jesus Christ
is organized and what happens when you take out a cup...

We use these to teach lesson 1...The Restoration. The colored pencils represent iglesias. The white one represents The Church of Jesus Christ 
of Latter-day Saints. The yellow band represents authority or Priesthood. 
The people down here have a hard time understanding authority
but these colored pencils have worked miracles.


6. I always pray during the lessons that I can find their needs and address them with love. I have struggled a little bit on my mission because sometimes I feel as though these hermanos are being treated as a number.  They are real people, my brothers and sisters and God's children. He wants them to come back and we need to help them remember the truth!!

Anyway, sorry I am writing so late mom. The hondurainians in my zone cooked for us today and it took the whoooole day. Also I wasted my time with a rubix's cube for 45 minutes. I guess I'm just one of those people that if I got thrown on a stranded island and I had to finish a rubix cube in order to leave, I would never leave the island.

I love you all!  Here is a quote I love that you should apply, "It will be a great day when our people not only pray for the missionaries throughout the world, but ask the Lord to help them to assist the missionaries who are laboring in their own ward."   -President Hinckley


LOVE,
Hermana Minnick


I love Hermana Leyva. She is the Latina version of me,
BUT, I am teaching her how to clean!

Cute huh?

I am going to adopt a Guatemalan child one day!  :)  

The cow was the only living thing listened
to my companion and I this day! 

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